Suddenly Sorceress (17 page)

Just as Jack requested, I let the sensations overtake me until I tumbled over the edge in a body-wracking orgasm, the lingering heat licking at my fingertips.

He spun me around to capture my lips. Neither of us would spend any more time in that house of horrors.

“Jack.” I pulled away and held up my glowing hands. “I did it.”

His face split in a wide smile as he noticed the blue flickers sparking from the tips of my fingers. “Actually, I did it, but whatever gets us out of here.”

Shaking my head at his smug expression, I struggled to hold the power steady. I felt as if I was gripping the reins of a wild stallion fighting as hard to pull free as I did to contain it.

Jack’s mask of concentration mirrored my own. His jaw flexed, his mouth set in a firm line, and his eyes locked with mine. He smiled briefly as light arced from my body, creating a span that reached a least a foot away.

“See if you can make it bigger,” he said, and I cocked an eyebrow in response. “The window, smart ass.”

Wiping the grin from my lips, I faced the wall, took a deep, cleansing breath, and imagined the window yawning into a gaping mouth. It shuddered and creaked, slowly stretching. I smothered the urge to squeal as the breach reached the floor and the ground bowed down to greet us.

Jack grabbed my hand and pulled me through the makeshift door before it snapped shut again. We stood outside on the damp grass, staring up at the stars.

“Ivie, I—” Jack rubbed the back of his neck, a range of conflicting emotions flitting across his features. He studied my face then seemed to take note of our surroundings. “I think we need to get out of here.”

We kept to the shadows until we hit the blacktop and then set off running. Jack fumbled with the keys, dropping them twice before unlocking the old Wagoneer.

“Go,” I said as he cranked the engine.

The tires screeched as we pulled out of the cemetery lot. I watched Mrs. Camp’s house, expecting to see her rush out the door after us.

“Oh my God,” I said. “I can’t believe that just happened.”

“Which part?” Jack glanced at me. “The kidnapping or the escape?”

“Both.”

He smiled as he weaved through the darkened streets toward the luxury hotel. We pulled into a neighboring parking deck, and he cut the engine. “That was amazing. I still can’t believe what you did back there. The window just stretched open for us.”

“I know.” I struggled to catch my breath.

“You’re shaking,” he whispered.

I nodded, my heart sprinting.

He stared at my lips. “Are you okay?”

I nodded again, and Jack weaved his fingers into my hair and caressed the back of my neck. I resisted the urge to purr.

“Cat got your tongue?”

He had no idea how close he was. I certainly felt kittenish all of a sudden. “Weren’t you scared?”

“Yes.” He laughed. “I was terrified.”

“I was sure she would shoot us and I would die in my crazy next-door neighbor’s basement.” That struck me as funny, and I laughed, vibrating the car.

“We didn’t get Matt’s razor,” Jack said.

“I know.”

“We can go back tomorrow.”

My smile faded as the word
tomorrow
sank in. I didn’t want to go back there ever again.

Jack leaned in, and his kiss caught me off guard. I pulled away for a second, dragging him into my seat with me. He slid his hands under me and cupped my bottom. Magic was a waste of the man’s talents—though I couldn’t help but appreciate his ability to make my panties disappear.

“We should go in.” I sighed against his lips.

He shook his head without breaking the kiss. “Not yet.”

I slid my hands under his shirt, warming my icy fingers on his hot skin. He froze, and I giggled. But his lips stopped moving, and he jerked away.

A sharp tap on the window made me jump.

“Is everything okay?” A security guard stood outside the fogged glass.

“Yes. We’re fine,” Jack replied.

“Ma’am? Is that right?”

I escaped Norman Bates’s mother to have a random rent-a-cop arrest me in a parking garage? I think not.
I let my hair fall across my face and avoided eye contact as I affected a horrible Scottish accent. “Yah. Dinna worry about me, laddie. I’m fine, thank ye kindly.”

He flashed a light in my face. “You should really go inside. It’s not a good idea to linger in the parking garage in the middle of the night, especially if you’ve been drinking.” The guard double-thumped the roof of the car.

“We will. Thank you,” Jack promised with a little salute, and I couldn’t help but giggle at his expression. After the security guard walked away, Jack cracked up. “What the hell was that?”

I doubled over in laughter. “I thought for sure I could pull that off. Clan McKie would be so ashamed.”

“Yeah, that was… awkward.” He got out of the car, walked around to my side, and waited while I got out. “You should get some rest.” Jack tucked loose hair behind my ear.

I knew he was right, but sleep was the last thing on my mind. “So where are we sleeping?”

“About that…” He looked down and fiddled with the keys. “I wasn’t going to make assumptions. Your mother was on the pull-out when we left, and there’s only one other bed in the suite. I don’t mind taking the floor if sharing is too strange for you. But I figured since we’ve already had sex multiple times, sharing a bed wouldn’t be a big deal.” He flushed. “This isn’t coming out the way I’d intended.”

“No, I get it. This has been the most unusual week of my life, and I feel like I’ve known you for longer than the sum of those few bizarre days.”

He beamed. “I feel that way too.”

“So I would be honored to share a bed with you.” My lips tipped up.

“But, sweetheart”—he winked—“I’m not having sex with you.”

“The hell you’re not. I plan on having my wicked way with you until dawn.”

He planted an exaggerated kiss on my forehead before grabbing my hand to tug me toward the elevator. “No.”

I let him tow me along. “What’s with you being so chivalrous all of a sudden? This is the second time you’ve resisted my advances. Am I not appealing to you?”

He threw up his arms. “I’m trying to be a gentleman.”

Gentleman, schmentleman.
I twisted my hand out of his. “Maybe I don’t want a gentleman. Did you ever think of that?”

Jack let out an exasperated sigh. “Would you please let me woo you?”

“It’s a little late for wooing.” Did anyone even say
“wooing” anymore, let alone do it? Had I accidentally transported us into the nineteenth century? Next thing I knew, I’d be shopping for a ball gown and scoping out my dowry. “I’ve already given you my milk for free. You may as well take my cookies too.”

“Sorry, babe.” Jack caught my wrist, pulling me close until I felt his heartbeat through his shirt. “We’re doing this the right way from here on out.”

“What about kissing?” I blew out a breath, waving the proverbial white flag. “Will there at least be kissing?”

He leaned in, pressing his forehead to mine. “Just try to stop me.”

Twenty-Two

R
ed streaks etched the morning
sky. “Red sky at night, a sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning, a sailor’s warning,” as my father used to say.

Perfect
.

My back creaked as I unfolded from the fetal position and stretched. I’d slept with Jack wrapped around me all night. It was both the best and worst sleep of my life.

Despite my best attempts at seduction, Jack refused to have sex with me. I wondered if my ego would ever recover from the crushing humiliation. Forget crazy neighbors, lethal injections, and the gallows. Giving up sex cold turkey, after I’d discovered how much I like it, might be the death of me.

Jack shifted in his sleep and sprawled across the rumpled sheets, monopolizing the bed. He looked magically delicious in nothing but a pair of blue plaid boxers and a day’s growth of stubble, his hair even messier than normal.

“At least he let me have the extra pillow.” I snorted, pulling it from under his leg. After punching the feather stuffing a few times, I shoved the pillow behind my head and stared at the popcorn ceiling.

What I wouldn’t give for a class filled with screaming five-year-olds and a leisurely day on the farm. Instead, I could look forward to the next task on my long list of criminal activities—springing my not-so-great Dane from animal services. I still hadn’t decided exactly how that would go down.

I rolled over to look at the clock. It was 8:05, and the shelter didn’t open for another hour.

Jack threw his arm over my midsection, and I squirmed at his touch. “So much for not making any moves,” I said.

“Who’s making a move?” he asked in a sleepy voice.

“Oh, I don’t know.” I plucked his hand from my stomach and sandwiched it between my thighs. “There’s no time like the present.”

He popped one eye open to glare at me, taking his hand from between my legs. “
Ivie
.”

“Fine.” I crossed my arms over my barely-there tank top.

He snuggled in closer, rubbing his light stubble against my bare shoulder. “Don’t be mad.”

“Call me crazy, but this feels an awful lot like a move.” I wiggled my hips, settling against him.

Jack shook the bed with his laughter. “I’m not making a move. I promise.”

“Who’s not making a move?” Chloe chimed from the doorway. She wore Jon’s black button-down and little else. “Well? Who’s not making a move in here?”

I groaned. “Put on some clothes.”

Jack rolled away from me to glare at her. “Yeah, Chloe, unless you’re planning on joining us, you need to get dressed.”

I whirled around on Jack, mouth agape. “Why would you even go there?”

Jack shrugged. “I’m a guy. I will always
go there.”

Chloe waved. “Please, I’m not here for the entertainment. And for the record, there’s nothing wrong with what I’m wearing. I’ll have you know this is Armani.”

I responded by putting the hijacked pillow over my face.

“But enough about
my
clothes. Why are the both of
you
still dressed?”

“Because,” I said, from my hiding spot, “Jack doesn’t want me anymore.”

Chloe snatched the pillow from my face and threw it at Jack. “Are you kidding me? Look at her? I don’t swing that way, but if I did, I’d
want her.”

“Hey, I never said I didn’t want her.” Jack turned to me. “That’s crazy talk! If we weren’t taking a step back to do this the right way, I’d show
you exactly
how much I still want you.” He gave me a quick kiss then went back to addressing Chloe. “Don’t mind Ivie. She had a bad night.”

“You’re both weird.” Chloe laughed and sat on the edge of the bed. “Other than a wicked case of cock blocking, what happened last night that was so terrible?”

“For starters, Mrs. Camp tried to kill us,” I said.

Chloe gasped. “You mean the feline-o-phobe?”

“That’s the one,” I said, pointing at Chloe with one hand and my nose with the other. “Jack and I tried to sneak into Matt’s house to get supplies for the spell, and she caught us. Then she tricked us into going into her house and locked us in the basement.”

“Oh my God, that’s insane. I can’t believe she locked you in her basement.” Chloe threw her head back and cackled. “Did you find any bodies down there? Hansel and Gretel, maybe?”

Visions of spider webs and fingernail scratches in the cracked drywall flooded back to me, and I shuddered. “I’m glad you can laugh about it. I could have been burned at the stake by that crazy old witch.” I giggled. “Or bitch maybe? Since apparently I’m the only witch around here.” I had no idea why I found it funny that my neighbor kidnapped me and probably planned to kill me. Who knows what she would have done, given the opportunity.

“Don’t let your mom hear you using the W-word. She might revoke your subscription to
Good Spellkeeping
.” Chloe shook a finger at me with a mock glare before laughing again. “I can’t believe you tried to sneak into the house. Did it ever occur to you to tell anyone about your ridiculous idea
before
setting out in the middle of the night? And you…” Chloe glared daggers at Jack. “I thought you’d have more sense than to let her walk into a trap.”

Jack shrugged. “It didn’t sound like a bad idea at the time. Then again, my brain has been a little deprived of blood lately.”

Chloe shook her head. “Don’t encourage her. You know damn well it sounded like a foolish idea the moment you heard it. You’re a fool for love who can’t say no.”

“Shut up.” I shoved Chloe off the bed. “Trust me, he says no. Far too often for my taste.” I gave Jack the evil eye.

“Stop thinking about sex.” Chloe ripped the blankets from my grasp. “We need to spring that big jerk from dog jail.”

Jack smirked.

“Does anyone have a plan?” I asked.

Chloe winked. “You’re the planner. I’m just the window dressing, remember?”

“No plan. We’re just gonna wing it,” Jack said.

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Cuz that’s worked out so well for us.”

My mother sat in the driver’s seat of her car with a pen, ready to take notes. “Tell me again what I’m supposed to say.”

“Mom, you can’t read off a napkin in there. You know that, right?” I struggled to keep my voice from climbing up another octave.

“Well, of course. I’m just going to write it down so I can practice.”

Chloe snatched the pen from Mom’s fingers. “No time for practice, Rose.” She tossed it at me in the backseat. “Just remember in here.” She tapped my mother’s head.

“I see. Well then, what should I say when I get in there?” Mom asked again.

“You want to tell them your dog was picked up yesterday,” I said.

“Ask if you can look for him. They should take you back to where the dogs are kept,” Jack said before taking a big bite out of his hamburger.

Jon reached over to steal one of my fries and Jack slapped his hand.

“Hey, sorry.” Jon held up his hands. “She wasn’t eating them.”

“It’s fine. I’m not really hungry,” I said.

Chloe snatched my bag. “Have you ever stuck your fries in a vanilla milkshake?” She pulled an ice cream-coated fry out of her shake and popped it in her mouth. “Delicious.”

“Can we concentrate on the task at hand, please?” I asked.

“Sure, sure, sorry,” Chloe said with a smile. “Go ahead.”

“Mom, do you understand what you need to do?”

“Yes, dear. I think so.”

“Okay, good.” I faced Chloe. “Are you going to be able to do this? I mean seriously, you’re acting like a teenager today.” I glanced at the fries she was dipping into her shake.

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve got this. Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?”

Chloe could finesse people better than anyone I knew. She was a healthy dose of magic away from being a witch herself. But then again, what beautiful woman isn’t? She taught me everything I knew.

“Fine. Are you ready?” I asked.

“Ready,” they said together. Mom and Chloe got out of the Wagoneer.

“Wait.” I tossed the red nylon leash to Chloe. “You might need that.”

“Just might?” She laughed and slammed the door.

I hated sending them in there to do what I should have been doing.

“It’s not safe for you to go,” Jack said.

“Reading my mind again?” I gave him a halfhearted smile.

“Just your face.” He rubbed the spot between my brows. “They’ll be fine.”

“I know. I just…”

Jack put a finger over my lips. “Just nothing. They’ll be fine.”

I gave him a stiff nod and settled back against the seat to wait.

Jon cleared his throat. “Are you going to…?”

“Take them.” Jack shoved the fries into his brother’s chest.

I fidgeted with a loose thread on my sweater as I stared out the back window. Time seemed to drag, and I couldn’t sit still. No one went in or out of the building while I watched for Chloe or Mom to step out with Matt on the red leash. I had no idea what was going on in there. I tried to concentrate on the atmosphere to see if I could sense anything, but I couldn’t.

A few more minutes passed, and I saw my mother walking out with Chloe trailing her, carrying the red leash.

I threw the back door open and jumped out of the car. “What happened? Where is he?”

“Ivie, get in the car,” Jack pleaded, tugging me into my seat.

“Oh, those people.” My mother’s face was pinched. She stomped over to the car and got into the driver’s seat. “They wouldn’t let us have him.”

“What? Why not?” I shouted.

“They said something about him being part of an ongoing investigation,” Mom said.

Chloe hopped into the front seat and slammed her door. “Oh, you’re going to love this. Matt is officially evidence.”

“Evidence?” Jack asked.

“Yep. In an ongoing murder investigation.” Chloe’s face was wild with disbelief.

Jack scratched his head. “What kind of evidence?”

“I’ve seen
CSI
enough times to guess,” Chloe said. “Isn’t it always DNA?”

“Well, of course he’d have Ivie’s DNA on him,” Jack said.

We all stared at each other.

I covered my face with my hands. “This is bad. How am I going to change him back if he’s evidence?” I barely noticed Jack pull my hands away from my face. “If he’s evidence, they must think they have proof I killed him. Oh, this is very, very bad.”

“It’s not that bad,” Jack said.

Of course it was that bad. If I couldn’t change Matt back, not only would they lock me up for killing him, they were going to use
him
to prove I did it!

Chloe waggled her fingers in front of her. “You’re going to have to go in there with your crystal-blue persuasion and bring him out.”

“I think she can do it,” Jack said. “You should have seen her stretch that window open in the crazy lady’s basement.”

My mother twisted to face me. “What were you doing in a crazy lady’s basement, dear?”

I bit my lip. “Don’t worry about it, Mom.”

“So what’s the plan?” Jon asked, stuffing his face with the rest of the fries.

“How many people did you see in there?” Jack asked.

“I think three.” Chloe counted on her fingers. “No, four.”

“That seems about right,” my mother agreed.

“Okay, were you able to get in the back to see Matt?”

Chloe nodded as my mother spoke. “Yes, he was back there. Once we said he was the dog we were picking up, they told us we couldn’t have him.”

“He’s in the back with all the other dogs?” I asked. “They aren’t keeping him separate?”

“No. He’s in the back,” Chloe said. “Probably trying to spell out
help
in his kibble.”

“Good.” Jack nodded. “We just need to create a diversion.” He looked at Jon. “It just so happens we have the perfect person for that.”

Jon smiled widely. “Finally, something fun.”